Event set for 10:30 a.m. at Seoul Metropolitan Childcare Support Center

Pediatric psychiatrist Cho Seong-woo among expert panelists

[Provided by Seoul Metropolitan Government]
[Provided by Seoul Metropolitan Government]

The Seoul Metropolitan Government has organized a forum where parents struggling with their young children's peer relationships can seek guidance from experts.

Seoul announced Tuesday that it will hold the "2026 Seoul Parenting Forum" on Oct. 30 at 10:30 a.m. at the Seoul Metropolitan Childcare Support Center, focusing on the peer relationships of infants and toddlers.

The forum will address real concerns parents face — including children who struggle to get along with peers, frequently clash with others, or become overly dependent on a single friend.

Discussions will center on specific scenarios, such as a child who refuses to join a game when they fear losing, throws a tantrum after a defeat, or becomes upset when separated from a favorite friend. Panelists and parents will explore how much adults should intervene and how best to help, as well as ways to foster healthy peer relationships.

The expert panel will feature Cho Seong-woo, director of Gateunmaeum Psychiatry Clinic and a specialist in child and adolescent psychiatry, and Lee Da-rang, chairperson of nonprofit The Nail and a child psychology expert. Cho will examine social development and peer relationships from a psychiatric perspective, while Lee will introduce ways to understand children's behavior and emotions in friendships based on developmental and psychological traits. Broadcaster Park Seul-gi will serve as host.

Any caregiver with an infant or toddler is welcome to attend. Registration is open on a first-come, first-served basis for up to 100 participants through Friday. Questions submitted during registration will be forwarded to the experts in advance, and attendees may also ask questions directly at the event.

After the forum, Seoul plans to produce short videos highlighting key concerns and expert advice, which will be posted on the center's YouTube channel and Instagram.

Separately, Seoul also operates a free "Parenting Coaching Center" offering play-video analysis and expert consultations. Services include video-observation coaching, in which specialists analyze footage of parents and children at play, as well as consultations on child development, behavior and adjustment.

"We want to help caregivers work through everyday parenting concerns with experts and support children's healthy growth and parents' stable caregiving," said Ma Chae-suk, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Women and Family Bureau.


ken@heraldcorp.com